Real 3D images of Mars make up this video of a simulated flight over the red planet

It took photographer and self-proclaimed space enthusiast Jan Fröjdman three months to produce a video turning NASA anaglyph images of Mars into a simulated flight over the planet. NASA's high-resolution imagery offers depth information and comes from HiRISE, a camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Fröjdman converted the still images into panning video clips using reference points – 33,000 of them – and color-graded the images. He describes it as an effort to visualize the planet in his own way, rather than as a strictly scientific endeavor. It's certainly a mesmerizing way to spend 4 minutes.

In 1986 (I think), Pixar had a booth at the SIGGRAPH conference in Dallas. At their booth, they took Mars data and created a simulated helicopter ride over the Martian surface. I think it took only a few minutes to render the simulation. Then it was animated in real time. That was over 3 decades ago.

When I was in high school, I used to go to the library to check out a book on Mars. That book had stereo images taken in the 70s. The book had a stereo viewer in a sleeve in one of the inside covers. When they more recently sent the rovers to Mars, I couldn't believe how basic the imagery was - not even in stereo, for the most part. I'd have thought we'd have progressed further in all those years.

Incredibly Beautiful and Exquisite, It's like going to Heaven for anyone who has ever dreamed of visiting Mars. It's rare that Artistry is so well combined with Scientific Accuracy and it looks like a perfect marriage.

You have created an artistic Masterpiece with gorgeous music to accompany the wonderful visuals.

Congratulations on creating a Masterpiece ! And thank you so very much.

Frojdman's Mars may be prettier than the real thing: more contrast, more vertical depth, more sharpness; no frigid temperatures, high winds, or unimaginable dryness; no two years to arrive, with brains and blood gamma-fried, and never get back. Lowell's picture of Mars included canals that resembled his own retina and bordered them with green vegetation. The Martians themselves ceased to care about appearances long ago, if ever. Some Earthlings are also dismissive about what happens to this planet.

Prime_Lens: The fictive Mars, as with many other things, is sweeter than the real thing. Or must we insist on a "real deal" that would turn out bitter and expensive to boot? Plenty of places on earth are prettier and more hospitable.

Or perhaps Elon sold you a Mars ticket. Just $500,000 a seat, eventually, he promises. One-way. And it may take a while.

Here are some strictly scientific (but equally, or more, stunning) Mars landscape renderings and animations using images and topography from the HiRiSE camera on the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Created by another talented space enthusiast, Sean Doran. Next best thing to being there...

All my friends would love to see a camera drone sent into moon orbit and photograph all those Apollo landers and relics that are supposed to be there. Perhaps China or India can do it ... it's really not that difficult.

You are correct - NASA did post pics of the landing sites. But I'd still rather see some nice videos of them, and at much better resolution ... you know, something more in line with 2017 technology instead of 1977.

sandy b : Do you know that a drone is not limited to little spinning propellers? A drone can be jet powered, or gas powered, or rocket powered, or nuclear-plasma powered, or fusion-EM powered, or warp-field powered, etc ....

Maxnimo - okay I'll take the bait. You can't orbit the moon from an altitude of 100 feet so you're not going to get those close ups you're looking for. It has come as close as 12 miles, however, which is pretty impressive. And the Lunar Reconnicsnce Orbiter is not 1977 technology, it 500 million dollars and 2 tons worth of space craft that entered service in 2009, and yes I know I'm right but thank you anyway. We're also orbiting Ceres so you might check that out too.

Old Cameras - Those Moon pics that NASA posted look more like 1977 technology.And if our spy satellites can image a postage stamp on Earth from Earth orbit, then surely we can image even better detail of the Moon from Moon orbit, since Moon orbital velocity is much slower than Earth's and it has no atmosphere to limit altitude or vision.

It is a great piece of art.I would have hoped though that meanwhile we possess better resolution imagery of the red planet.It looks like there are plenty of great landscape photo opportunities nobody has profited from yet. What we have here is more the drone footage kind of photography ;) And certainly very well made!

A question for the knowledgeables ... would Mars atmosphere be thick enough to support a specially made ultra-lightweight helium balloon (with a camera)?

Jan, Fabulous video showing interesting Mars' features. I like the effects from the thrusters, main rocket and other sounds - not sure if real or effects. Well done. Bravo. As a space buff, I appreciate your work.

i think he meant "real sound", as in the sound of the actual engines tested on earth, not the actual sound out there (because the whole video is processed image by image, not recorded as such) as opposed to special effects - some edited random engine sounds from a sound database.

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